It is known to create networks by wiring computers or other devices with a network interface to each other, or connecting them via wireless networks where a radio frequency connection replaces wiring. The interface will normally use either UDP (Universal Datagram Protocol) or TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol) to provide for the forwarding of data packets from one device to another.
While such protocols allow for the transmission of data from one interface to another they do not allow for the sharing of resources between devices.
In most cases where a network exists a network server also exists which has explicit knowledge of the devices which it will allow to connect to its network and share the resources of the network. Unknown devices cannot connect.
An exception exists for some peer to peer protocols, where known computers can directly connect to other known computers or network devices without an intermediate server, but each such accepted computer must still be known to the computer it is connecting to in terms of IP address and access privileges.
A further exception exists for such things as wireless access points, where a public interface may be connected to by unknown wireless connections from computers, but there is normally no element of network management in the software of such access points, merely the ability to connect and share a single resource.
It would be preferable to be able to construct networks from an assemblage of whatever network devices are present in a particular place, to allow the sharing of resources and to identify one user to another if necessary. Currently this is not easily possible.
The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems which offers advantages over the prior art or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.